Santa Cruz V10 C - Review
Thanks to its string of podium appearances on the World Cup circuit, Santa Cruz's V10 is one of the most recognizable downhill bikes currently on the market. Back in 2010 it became the first carbon bike to win a World Cup, proving that carbon was a viable option for DH racing, and causing numerous other companies to follow suit.
The V10 underwent a revision for 2015, moving from 26” to 27.5” wheels and receiving updates to its geometry. The full carbon frame now has 8.5” (216mm) of rear travel, and either a 64° or 63.5° angle depending on whether the high or low geometry setting is selected.
The V10 underwent a revision for 2015, moving from 26” to 27.5” wheels and receiving updates to its geometry. The full carbon frame now has 8.5” (216mm) of rear travel, and either a 64° or 63.5° angle depending on whether the high or low geometry setting is selected.
Santa Cruz V10 C Details
• Intended use: downhill
• Wheel size: 27.5''
• Rear wheel travel: 216mm
• 64° or 63.5° head angle
• VPP suspension design
• Frame material: carbon fiber
• 1.5" head tube
• Threaded bottom bracket
• ISCG 05 chain guide tabs
• Weight: 36lb (large, actual, w/o pedals)
• MSRP: $5929 USD
• Intended use: downhill
• Wheel size: 27.5''
• Rear wheel travel: 216mm
• 64° or 63.5° head angle
• VPP suspension design
• Frame material: carbon fiber
• 1.5" head tube
• Threaded bottom bracket
• ISCG 05 chain guide tabs
• Weight: 36lb (large, actual, w/o pedals)
• MSRP: $5929 USD
There are two different version of the frame, the C and the CC. The frames share the same geometry, but a less expensive and slightly heavier carbon is used in the construction of the C, which adds around 370 grams to the finished product. Our C version test bike, built up with a Shimano Zee drivetrain, FOX 40 R fork and a RockShox Vivid Air R2C shock, retails for $5929 USD.
Integrated bumpstops are in place on each side of the 1.5" head tube.
The size and shape of the carbon swingarm makes it clear the V10 means business.
Frame Details
The V10's frame shape has evolved nicely over the years, and the latest version has a low slung, sleek appearance befitting a machine designed for the pursuit of speed. Years of refinement have paid off, and no detail has been overlooked in the V10's execution.
Integrated fork bumpers are in place to keep the FOX 40 from bashing into the 1.5” head tube, and they also serve as cable guides, directing the brake and derailleur housing towards the top of the down tube and then to the rear of the bike. This configuration is about as clean as it gets, and eliminates the headaches internal cable routing can bring, the last thing a mechanic wants to deal with when trying to prep a bike prior to an important race run.
Other nice touches include a threaded 83mm bottom bracket, and a 12x157 rear thru-axle that uses an expanding collet system to lock it into place, making it nearly impossible for it to come loose. There are also molded chain stay and down tube protectors help protect the frame from flying rocks and flapping chains, and the obligatory ISCG 05 tabs for mounting a chain guide.
Santa Cruz's VPP suspension design handles the bike's 216mm of rear travel.
Suspension Layout
As the name implies, previous versions of the V10 had 10” of travel, but the switch to slightly bigger wheels along with feedback from team athletes led Santa Cruz's designers to reduce the travel to 8.5”. That travel is delivered via a beefed up version of the company's Virtual Pivot Point (VPP) suspension design. Two counter-rotating links, one attached just above the bottom bracket and the other extending downwards from the top tube, are positioned in a way that's intended to give the bike enough anti-squat for effective pedaling while still allowing the suspension to soak up the big hits smoothly without bottoming out too quickly.
Rather than using the more common standard cartridge bearings, Santa Cruz uses angular contact bearings with a collet type axle retention system, and the lower link, the one exposed to the most possible contaminants, has two grease ports that can be used to push the old bearing grease out and new grease in. This helps prevent the rust and corrosion that riding in wet, muddy conditions can cause. The pivot bearings and the carbon frame itself come with a lifetime warranty, an impressive testament to Santa Cruz's confidence in the frame's construction.
Geometry
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Set Up and Geometry
Based on Santa Cruz's sizing chart, at 5'11” I fall in between either a large or an XL frame. I went with the large, which has a reach of 423mm, a number that's on the shorter side when compared to other bikes in this class. For reference, a large Trek Session 27.5 measures 432mm, a long Specialized Demo measures 440mm, and a Giant Glory comes in a 460mm. Despite the slightly shorter reach, I felt well balanced between the wheels, without any sensations of being cramped or restricted, but some riders may find that sizing up creates a better fit.
Since I wasn't planning on tackling the steeps of Champery any time soon, and due to the fact that much of my time on the V10 took place in the bike park, the High geometry setting ended up being my preferred position, giving the bike a 64 degree head angle and a 440mm chain stay length. This allowed for slightly quicker handling when popping off the lips of jumps, and added a little bit of extra bottom bracket clearance, reducing the amount of pedal strikes.
Regarding suspension setup, Santa Cruz recommends running 20-25mm of sag, which equated to inflating the RockShox Vivid Air to 40psi above my body weight. This setting worked well, allowing me to make use of the full travel on bigger hits without any harshness at the end of the stroke.
 | Throughout it all, the V10 refused to be rattled, diffusing the most difficult sections of trail with the composure of a seasoned bomb squad technician. |
Handling
My riding time aboard the V10 was split between steep and raw shuttle trails, the sort that require a firm grasp on the brakes and a healthy dose of commitment, and the faster, but not quite as menacing trails found in the Whistler Bike Park. Throughout it all, the V10 refused to be rattled, diffusing the most difficult sections of trail with the composure of a seasoned bomb squad technician. There's no sense of an upper speed limit, or at least one that I could find, and even when the trees and rocks lining the trail started to blur into colored streaks, the only thing preventing me from going even faster was that mass of grey matter inside my skull.
The V10 prefers to plow through rather than pop over obstacles, and rough, straight ahead sections of trail are its forte. That's where the bottomless feel of the rear suspension was most noticeable, and on awkward square-edged hits and deep, dusty holes the rear end never felt like it was getting hung up. Even though it does very well when ridden like a monster truck, the V10 isn't all about smashing and bashing. Compared to a bike like the Scott Gambler, which is best suited for the steepest, gnarliest of terrain and balks a little when asked to go anything less than flat-out, the V10 is a bit more well rounded, and can tackle tighter, twistier sections of trail without feeling overly sluggish. Higher speeds are certainly where it feels the most alive, but it remains manageable even when the miles-per-hour drop.
Once the time comes to stop plowing through rock gardens and actually make a turn, the V10 prefers to carve a wider arc, coming in high and exiting low without losing speed. If you square off too soon, that longer back end will be left hanging, skidding and scrambling to finish the turn, and eating up precious seconds. When it's necessary to stand up and sprint, whether that's to gain the extra distance needed to clear a long jump or to beat your buddy back to the truck, the V10 responds very well, especially for a bike with 8.5” of travel. There's no awkward diving or bobbing, just a straightforward transfer of energy into forward progress. Even with only a click or two of low speed compression (from full open), there was still plenty of pedaling support to keep the bike from feeling like a waterbed on wheels.
Issues
• Despite the fact that molded chain stay protector is in place, the V10 C isn't the quietest downhill bike out there. The combination of the chain slapping the swingarm and the Zee derailleur's B-tension screw smacking the bracket that extends from the actual derailleur hanger made for quite the cacophony, especially on trails with repeated quick hits.
• The FOX 40R that the bike arrived with lost its rebound damping on the second ride, making it feel more like a pogo stick than a suspension fork. FOX sent out an updated version, the 2016 Performance Elite. This replacement fork had the new FIT 4 damper as well as externally adjustable low speed compression damping, which made dialing in the perfect feel even easier. Having that low speed compression is especially helpful with a coil sprung fork, since the difference between springs can sometimes leave riders stuck in a middle ground where one is too soft and one is too firm. The replacement fork was trouble free, with a plush, well controlled stroke and plenty of stiffness to keep the front end tracking with precision.
SRAM's Guide brakes continue to impress.
The Easton Havoc bar and stem combo was stiff and creak free, but adjusting the stem length isn't possible.
Component Check
• SRAM Guide RSC brakes: SRAM's Guide brakes are one of the most versatile sets of stoppers currently on the market, showing up everywhere from trail bikes to DH sleds like the V10. The 200mm rotors helped ensure there was plenty of power, and the excellent modulation that gets mentioned in nearly every review once again deserves praise, making it possible to keep from skidding out on steep trails covered with kitty litter and moondust.
• Maxxis Minion DHR II tires: Maxxis' Minion DHF might be a little faster rolling, but for outright traction, especially when braking, the DHR reigns supreme. Tread wear was very reasonable as well, especially considering the hardpack, midsummer conditions that prevailed for most of the test.
• Easton 35mm bar / 50mm direct mount stem: The nice thing about DH bikes is that they typically come with properly wide bars, and the V10 C is no exception. 800mm will be wide enough for nearly everyone, and if they're too wide it's easy to trim them down. The one thing that's not possible is adjusting the position of the direct mount stem. It has mounting holes to run it with either 50 or 45mm of extension, but in the 45mm position the bars hit the fork stanchions before the screw holes are aligned. It's a minor issue, and given that the V10's reach is on the shorter side, most riders probably won't be trying to bring their bars closer in.
• RockShox Vivid R2C: Air shocks are gaining ground in the DH world, but it's been a relatively slow process, since it's tough to beat the feel of a coil spring. The Vivid R2C comes remarkably close, exhibiting consistent performance even on long, top to bottom laps in the bike park. It also gave the bike a little extra pop at the end of its stroke, which was helpful for jump-filled trails like Whistler's Dirt Merchant and A-Line.
Pinkbike's take:
| The V10 feels exactly like a world class downhill bike should - it's plush, stable, and race ready out of the box. Unless you're counting grams and trying to make it onto the world stage, for the privateer racer the less expensive C version is an excellent option, freeing up a chunk of change that can be used for lift tickets and race entry fees. And while it may not be guaranteed to make you ride like Ratboy, the V10 C will sure make you want to try. Just watch out for those pesky bridges before the finish line. - Mike Kazimer |
About the Reviewer
Stats: Age: 32 • Height: 5'11” • Inseam: 33" • Weight: 155lb • Industry affiliations / sponsors: None Twenty years deep into a mountain biking addiction that began as a way to escape the suburban sprawl of Connecticut, Mike Kazimer is most at home deep the woods, carving his way down steep, technical trails. The decade he spent as a bike mechanic helped create a solid technical background to draw from when reviewing products, and his current location in the Pacific Northwest allows for easy access to the wettest, muddiest conditions imaginable.
Stats: Age: 32 • Height: 5'11” • Inseam: 33" • Weight: 155lb • Industry affiliations / sponsors: None Twenty years deep into a mountain biking addiction that began as a way to escape the suburban sprawl of Connecticut, Mike Kazimer is most at home deep the woods, carving his way down steep, technical trails. The decade he spent as a bike mechanic helped create a solid technical background to draw from when reviewing products, and his current location in the Pacific Northwest allows for easy access to the wettest, muddiest conditions imaginable.
Author Info:
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Margins on bikes are already squeezed, I don't understand how small businesses failing is hilarious.
'They play with the geometry a bit on autocad or whatever and then make sure it works with the suspension'
- I never knew it was that simple - thanks for enlightening me!
For non racers, they may consider that this is the reward for their invested labors.
And many more do care if they're purchase may support an investment into a specific team/rider.
The re-sell value of the SC is a good reason as mentioned before. I sold mine frame (first batch of carbon v10s) for the price of a 'cheap' YT Tues (at that time). I really enjoyed the v10, but it was not the best bike for me in terms of feeling, I must admit. Sometimes I felt it shorter and not very lively in berms, but man, that suspension is brutal on rough terrain!!! Hands down.
Also, the bike was bomb-proof and the maintenance was just super easy - just some use of the grease gun here and there after a mud ride.
Unfortunately, in the past 2 years I saw few broken v10s of the new versions of the frame, but the warranty service is top-notch. Really nice people to deal with!
Some thoughts: On top of molds and R&D I would put the WC team and the other sponsored riders. Because a top-quality WC team is shitload money - racers, people supporting them, equipment, travelling so on.
Racers like Rat, Minnaar and Peat are some of the people involved in the changes of the frame.
Also, changes are needed, not only because the racers need them, but because customers are used to that - you expect each year something new, something better, etc.
@TFreeman yeah you are right about the scale of SC, they cannot push super low prices and have everything they have now. I do not know about the materials, though, just because I do not have info on the topic.
Are they still a 'boutique' brand now that theyve been bought out by large firm? Dunno
Surely in 2015 all bikes are now tapering and boosting and pressfitting their bikes so none of our old components fit? Won't the lack of all these fancy modern 'improvements' meant that the Bike will be to flexible and suffer from underperformance?
And it will automatically be 199% less stiff, 147% heavier and 209% slower than a bike with Pressfit BB, tapered head tube and Boost axles?
This bike will never win a DH World Cup, not in a million years.
(Or are manufacturers lying about all of that?)
Josh didnt won a WC on saturday with a V10? Shure was a prototype frame lighter that any other on the market
m.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/PIT-BITS-World-Cup-Lourdes-France,8798/PIT-BITS-Intense-M16-at-Lourdes-World-Cup,88714/sspomer,2
www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152955457978321&set=p.10152955457978321&type=1&theater
i presume this is an Easton component issue right? They've made a position that can't be used on that stem because they made the bars fatter. That's daft right? Or am I being unfair?
This is due to the 35mm diameter of the handlebars extending out pretty far from center.
I agree, she's pretty rad
You can put the same damper in a coil or air spring setup, it's all about how the spring behaves.
***** actually applies to the V-10, Nomad, Bronson and all the rest ....
May 1
..
www.santacruzbicycles.com/en/us/bike-registration-form
Quote Originally Posted by John P.
I've seen at least 2-3 SI DH protos around the office, but sadly, they're all a long ways away from production. I keep pushing for it, but it's a matter of money on a couple levels:
1. Putting together a WC DH team for proper testing and refining is crazy expensive (especially with a top enduro team already doing so well)
2. We're concentrating our limited resources on bikes we can sell more of... The enduro/ trail market is something like 20x the size of the DH market. Maybe more.
We've always been gravity freaks, and I'm sure we'll do another long travel bike someday. But the reality is we have bills to pay, so we won't do something like a DH bike until we have all the resources at hand to do it the right way.
JP
Whats up with that?
job done.